Battle of the Welcome Wench (Round 4)

"Somebody help me with that thing," Xenon calls the others, still trying to retrieve one of his daggers and slash the zombie.

"I am working on it! Seems this great feast has somewhat disrupted my aim." Gordon says with a chuckle while - yet again - sending forth his purple ray. This time the ray strikes true. The zombie's putrid flesh bubbles and hisses in a narrow strip across its back.

Realizing that her attacks thus far had been ineffective, Tetsuko approaches the zombie attacking Xenon and tries her quarterstaff, hoping for a more meaningful result. Unfortunately, she can't find a good enough opening for her strike

Xenon yanks his hand free from the zombie's grip and pulls a dagger from its sheath. The soulknife then rams the blade deep into the zombie's gut, twisting the blade into the monster's gas-filled stomach. The resulting stenches are far from pleasant, but Xenon can see the creature has been seriously wounded.

"In...fant..." hisses the zombie just before its jaws clamp shut on Xenon's neck. The soulknife's armor again takes the brunt the attack, but the pain and the sudden lack of oxygen are almost enough to push Xenon into unconsciousness.

Norim steps towards the closest Zombie and swings his longsword mightily. The Zombie dodges with astonishing grace as the sword goes wide. "Stand still and take your punishment!" he screams at the creature.

"Curses!" Gundigoot says, tossing his crossbow aside and pulling a stout cudgel from behind the bar. He then clambers over the bar and rushes past the knot of heroes battling the zombie. "The dead man's getting up!"

Sure enough, Gundigoot is right. The man who first staggered into the inn before having his skull bit open by the zombie is rising. Gore covers his head and face. By this time, the tavern area is all but empty. A few spectators lurk in the doorway to the kitchen and on the lower reaches of the stairs to the second floor. One of these is Goodie Gundigoot. Then, bursting onto the scene through door to the kitchen comes Onslo the stableboy, bearing a militia longspear in his youthful hands.

"One side!" he says to the people in his way. "Let me through!"

Onslo rushes forward, and then stops, staring wide-eyed at the horrific scene before him, uncertain what to do.

Two zombies are dead. Xenon and zombie 1 are grappling. Gordon is about ten feet away from zombie 1. Norim and Tetsuko are adjacent to the grapplers. Gundigoot is adjacent to zombie 2, which is about 10 feet away from the party. Onslo is about 10 to 15 feet away from both groups, depending on which way he decides to go. Onslo and Zombie 2 have acted for round 5.

Norim once again attempts to strike down the foul abomination. With a mighty swing, his longsword arcs through the air towards the creature. With the gas clouding his mind, he is uncertain if his blow struck true.

Battle of the Welcome Wench (Round 5)

"Curses!" Gundigoot says, tossing his crossbow aside and pulling a stout cudgel from behind the bar. He then clambers over the bar and rushes past the knot of heroes battling the zombie. "The dead man's getting up!"

Sure enough, Gundigoot is right. The man who first staggered into the inn before having his skull bit open by the zombie is rising. Gore covers his head and face. By this time, the tavern area is all but empty. A few spectators lurk in the doorway to the kitchen and on the lower reaches of the stairs to the second floor. One of these is Goodie Gundigoot. Then, bursting onto the scene through door to the kitchen comes Onslo the stableboy, bearing a militia longspear in his youthful hands.

"One side!" he says to the people in his way. "Let me through!"

Onslo rushes forward, and then stops, staring wide-eyed at the horrific scene before him, uncertain what to do.

Seeing yet another zombie enter the fray, Gordon throws his hands up in frustration. "Do you breed undead in this town?"

"I should say not!" Gundigoot replies.

Shaking his head in disgust, Gordon turns his attention towards the newest undead. The now familiar purple ray streaks from Gordon's hand, striking the newly-animated zombie. The energy of the spell blisters the monster's skin.

"Help me, or, I fear, I will join them," Xenon calls. Tetsuko whips a dagger from its sheath and wades in, thrusting up into the grapplers. Her blade catches the zombie in the back of the head, cracking neck bones. The monster drops to the floor, as lifeless as it was before some dark magic animated it.

Xenon, from the zombie's powerful grapple, lunges with his dagger, slamming the blade into the other zombie throat, tearing open its trachea. the others, using his dagger to slash the zombie a second time. Norim once again attempts to strike down the foul abomination. With a mighty swing, his longsword arcs through the air towards the creature. With the gas clouding his mind, he is uncertain if his blow struck true, but then pleased as his blade cleaves the zombie from shoulder to hip. The monster falls to the floor.

Outside the storm still rages. In between gusts of wind and the crashing thunder, under the roar of the rain, the screams of townspeople can still be heard.

Combat Box

Effects in Play: Tetsuko (force screen)

Status:
Xenon (10 nonlethal)

All of the zombies are dead. We're out of initiative sequence for the moment. The ball's in your court.

Xenon stumbles on his feet, pushing away the finally dead body."We should move to are more defendable location. Best we go up and barricade us in one of the rooms. Or in the cellar, so we have access to eat and drink. I need a moment to recover, damned beast tried to kill me!"

Can anyone tell us what in the blazes is going on here? Where did these zombies come from? I'm not an expert but I don't think zombies usually just appear out of thin air. However, if there are more of them, my fellow defender is right. We need to get everyonoe to a safer place. Norim asks everyone within earshot.

Onslo the stableboy says, "I don't where they're comin' from or what's goin' on, but there're more of them...things loose in the streets. I saw 'em when I's comin' in from the stable. It was hard to tell with the rain and all, but I think they may've busted into Gerard's house."

Jerard is the tanner who resides across the road from the Inn. The party has been in town long enough to know he lives with his wife Helena, his brother John, and three children, the youngest of whom was born only a month ago.

Gundigoot turns to his wife and says, "Get everyone into the cellar. Onslo, you go with them. I'm going to Jerard's."

Goodie chokes back a sob and then looks as she is going to protest, but finally only nods. "C'mon, everyone. With me. Quickly."

Gundigoot turns to the party. "Guarding this town isn't your responsibility. Head to the cellar if you want."

And with that Ostler Gundigoot chokes up his grip on his cudgel and head for the front door and whatever danger waits in the storm.

It may not be my official responsibility but when I was in the army I swore an oath to defend the citizens and the kingdom from harm and that's what I'm going to do. Norim proclaims as he follows Gundigoot, sword at the ready.